The EU considers the corruption at Energoatom ‘disgusting’ — Politico

EU diplomats consider the widespread corruption in Ukraine’s energy sector “disgusting,” but will not stop aid because of it.

This was reported by Politico.

According to the outlet, allies in Brussels are “demanding answers” from Ukraine over the large-scale corruption scandal in the Energoatom case, which involves Tymur Mindich, a close associate of Volodymyr Zelensky. The scandal “won’t help” Kyiv’s reputation in the eyes of international partners, a European official told Politico.

“This will mean that the European Commission will certainly have to reassess how it spends funds on Ukraine’s energy sector,” the official said, adding that in the future “Ukraine will have to devote more attention and transparency to how it spends money.”

In his view, Zelensky “must reassure everyone—most likely with an anti-corruption plan.” The official noted that since 2022 the European Commission has provided Kyiv with more than €3 billion in energy assistance.

But for now, this scandal—the “worst yet to break around Zelensky since he took office”—is not prompting allies to threaten cuts in aid to Ukraine, the paper writes.

Moreover, officials in Kyiv expect Brussels to “maintain a general taboo on public criticism of Ukraine,” even as it tightens reform requirements tied to the country’s financing.